


the money, fame, and fortune never could compete

by Foreverlarrup



Series: Slotting Puzzles [2]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-24
Updated: 2012-08-24
Packaged: 2017-11-12 19:59:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/495110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Foreverlarrup/pseuds/Foreverlarrup
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Liam hasn't always hated Harry- it's a bit hard too, really, Harry's just a bundle of slow smiles and fluffy hair, and he's actually quite likable. But then Louis would stare at Harry for a bit too long or Harry would laugh too hard when Louis makes one of his stupid jokes, and it worries Liam, because, well.</p>
            </blockquote>





	the money, fame, and fortune never could compete

Liam hates Harry. 

He didn't always hate Harry- it's a bit hard too, really, Harry's just a bundle of slow smiles and fluffy hair, and he's actually quite likeable. 

But then Louis would stare at Harry for a bit too long and Harry would laugh too hard when Louis makes one of his stupid jokes, and it worries Liam, because. Well. 

Liam and Louis, they've been together for years, a decade almost. They grew up kicking soccer balls and playing legos together. They started dating when Liam turned sixteen, and ever since then, they just never really separated from each other. 

They've done so many things for each other. Louis dropped out of college so he could save his school money and get a job to support Liam's tuition at law school, and the only reason Liam doesn't move to London where it's easier to find temp jobs at firms is because Louis needs to be close to his family at Doncaster. They both gave up so much for each other and losing Louis would be like missing a limb, or all his good memories, all the things that made him him.

Just the thought of Louis leaving him leaves Liam shaky and scared. His mind whirls to the practical, like 'who would fix the leaky sink' and 'how would he afford living alone' because thinking about things like 'who would hold me when I need it' and 'how would I ever move on' is too painful.

Which is why he can't lose Louis to Harry, he just can't. 

\--------------------------------------------------

Louis didn't mean for it to happen, really he didn't. He loves Liam; they've been dating on and off ever since high school, and they've been best friends since they were in elementary school. This year would make it their tenth year of being together, and Louis has loved pretty much every moment of it. 

But when Harry Styles looks up coyly at Louis through his curls and smirks, slow and pretty; Louis would think I'm in love before he can catch himself. 

The worst part is, Harry's not even doing it on purpose. If he was, Louis would be able to tell him to back off because he has a perfectly lovely boyfriend and doesn't need another one. But Harry's not, he's just always bright and pretty; magnetic.

And it hurts Louis's head, thinking about Harry Styles and his beautiful curls. He wants to stay away from him, he does, but whenever he sees Harry, his heart beats faster and the tips of his fingers get tingly, and he needs to be near Harry.

Despite how Louis tries to hide it, Liam knows about his feelings, of course he does, he practically knows Louis better then Louis knows himself. Liam keeps quiet about it though, and Louis doesn't know why. Why doesn't Liam mention the way Louis tucked himself too close to Harry on the couch when they were watching She's The Man? Why doesn't he yell at him for the playful lovebite he gave Harry the other night?

(He thinks that maybe it's because Liam doesn't care, and that stings more then anything).

\-----------------------------------------------

 

“I'm home,” Liam announces as he pushes the door open, balancing two paper bags in his arms, an ice cream box tipping precariously on the edge. “Lou? You home?” He kicks the door shut behind him, glancing around for his boyfriend. 

“Hey, baby,” Louis says, head popping up from where he was lying down on the couch. “Harry's coming over to play Mario Kart later, is that okay?” 

“Um,” Liam frowns, setting down the groceries on the kitchen counter with a thump. I thought we were going to the movies today, a quiet voice reminds him. “Yeah, no problem.”

“Thanks love,” Louis calls out, and Liam wants to cover his ears. 

He pulls out tuna cans from the paper bags and stacks them together. _Did he not remember that we were going to watch The Hunger Games today?_ He pulls open the cupboard, sets peanut butter down on the top shelve. _Maybe he did remember and just didn't want to._ Drawers clack open, a box of plastic wrap and new oven mitts are tossed in. _Maybe he likes spending time with Harry more then me._ Ben and Jerry's ice cream is squeezed between the frozen chicken nuggets and minced meat.

_Maybe he just doesn't like me anymore._

He piles up the new plates he bought in one arm and uses the other to open the dishwasher. He frowns, noticing how the sticky dishes and bowls are all put in lopsided and facing different directions. “For God's sake, Louis.” The words come out louder then he intended. 

Louis is suddenly at his side, peering into the dishwasher. “What?” His voice is already tinted with annoyance. 

“The- the dishes.” Liam waves a hand over them. “You have to rinse them before you put them in; the dishwasher can't wash off this plate-” He pulls out a plastic plate, clunky yellow yolk stuck on the front- “unless you scrap it off or something.”

Louis frowns, opens his mouth to say something, but Liam cuts him off. “And why can't you put all the dishes in properly? It looks so much better if they were all facing the same direction.” 

Louis crosses his arms over his chest, narrows his eyes at Liam. “It doesn't matter if they face the same direction,” He says in an even tone. “The dishwasher doesn't care.” 

“I care!”

Louis bristles at his loud tone, and abruptly shuts the lid of the dishwasher, ceramic rattling dangerously. “Well, you shouldn't. It's called a dishwasher, Liam, it knows how to wash dishes.”

“Not if there's a full meal still on it!” Liam's words are biting, sarcastic, and he kind of wants to hit himself.

“Don't be stupid, it's just a bit of egg,” Louis reaches out to take the plate from Liam, Liam stumbles back, the plate falls from his fingers and cracks in half on the ground. 

They stare at the mess and Liam has this ridiculous urge to cry, which is stupid, okay, it's just a plate. 

 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------

Louis and Liam fight a lot more after that day. They would get in the hugest rows and just yell and yell about the stupidest things, like how Louis never caps the toothpaste and the way Liam never closes drawers, and their fights would drift from their little silly squabbles to the way Louis doesn't always come home from work and how Liam seems to want to study more then be with Louis.

(They never talk about the real reason they're yelling; they know it too well already.)

They hurl hurtful words at each other, throw lamps, thud their fists against the wall, and sometimes Louis would accidentally say something that he doesn't mean (“I'm fucking stuck with you, Liam, can't afford to live by myself, could I?”) and Liam would cry and Louis would feel awful.

He'll storm out and Liam would curl up in their bed, muffling his tears with his pillow, and after a couple hours, Louis would come home again, cups of warm hot coco in his hands as a peace offering. 

He'll wrap his arms around Liam, kiss away the pain he caused, and Liam would whisper out apologies, smoothing down Louis's hair. And they would be inlovetogetherhappy for a week or two, and then Liam would ignore Louis in favor of his text books, or Louis would pet Harry's hair too much, and the vicious cycle would start up again.


End file.
